Falling Asleep 101 and the Practicality of Eating Local

Published: November 13, 2007

Better sleep doesn't have to come in a pill. For people with chronic insomnia, studies show that simple behavioral modifications work just as well, and sometimes better.

Don't watch television, eat or read in bed. Don't go to bed until you are sleepy. Get up at the same time every day, and don't nap during the day. If you are unable to sleep, get out of bed after 15 minutes and do something relaxing, but avoid stimulating activity and thoughts.

Finally, watching time pass is one of the worst things to do when you're trying to fall asleep. Turn the clock around so you can't see it.

VITAMIN F, FOR FOOD

Food is more than just the sum of its parts.

In a recent commentary for the journal Nutrition Reviews, David R. Jacobs, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota, argues that researchers should focus on foods in their entirety, not just their vitamins and nutrients.

''Every food is much more complicated than any drug,'' he said. ''It makes sense to want to break it down. But you get a lot of people talking in the popular press about carbohydrates and fats in particular as if they were unified entities. They're not. They're extremely complicated.''

COUNTING THE MILES

The 100-mile diet is a noble idea: eat only foods produced within 100 miles of your home. But is it practical?

There's no scientific evidence that eating locally farmed food is better for you. But it does give you the sense that you have more control over what you put into your body.

Eating local often means you can meet the people who produce your food, because they are selling it themselves at the local farmers' market. You can ask questions about pesticide use and farming methods.

Being 100 percent loyal to the 100-mile diet can make for tough choices. Diet staples like coffee and tea aren't grown in the United States, save perhaps for Hawaii. Your local grocery store probably buys produce from all over the world -- pineapples from the Philippines and avocados from California, even garlic from China.

Still, most people who follow the 100-mile diet do so because they like fresh food and want to help the planet. Buying locally means less fuel burned to transport food, which means less pollution. Local farmers are often organic producers who employ earth-friendly farming methods or raise free-range animals.